Gordon Strachan has vowed to make Scotland equal the prowess of his compatriots in other sports as he prepares for his debut against Estonia.

"I think we would all like to do a bit better," Strachan said. "We would all like to see Celtic doing well in Europe because it gives us all a lift. It helps when Stephen Gallacher wins the golf the other day there. But the main thing in Scotland is football. That's the thing that keeps us really going – it's the thing we talk about most.

"Andy Murray has been terrific, Stephen has won this, Paul Lawrie has done that. It's great but everyone still really wants their national football team to do great. We understand that. As a group we will have to do it. As a group."

Scotland's immediate challenge is the friendly with Estonia but more meaningful fixtures lie in wait next month. Then, Strachan must look to haul his team from the bottom of their World Cup qualifying section with improved results in matches against Wales and Serbia.

During the intervening weeks, Strachan insisted, he will harbour no sense of regret over moving into the international scene. "You do this because it's a job where, if somebody offers it, you take it," he said.

"I don't really have downtime. Even when I wasn't in football I cannot remember a day where I might have been bored. I have things that fill up my life.

"It will be the same when this match is finished. Some managers feel they spend too much time in the office – that will not happen. I will be in the office when I am needed, because I have got plenty of other things to do personally and professionally. I have loads to do, none of which gets in the way of what I am doing here, trust me."

It seems wholly appropriate that Pittodrie is the venue at which Strachan will lead his country for the first time. He made his name as part of Alex Ferguson's famous Aberdeen team of the 1980s, as did Mark McGhee, who has been appointed as Strachan's assistant. "When I first got the job I thought 'wherever the first game is, it will be fantastic' but I think I've realised it's even more special that I'm going back to Aberdeen where I enjoyed smashing times with great players," Strachan said.

"I'm going back again 30-odd years later and the best wishes have been overwhelming, especially in Aberdeen. The people that I've met around this area recently have made it even more special."

There was a strand of familiarity, too, about Strachan's first selection as Scotland captain. Scott Brown, who Strachan signed as a Celtic player from Hibernian, will wear the armband against Estonia with Scotland's regular captain, Darren Fletcher, a long-term illness victim.

"If Darren Fletcher comes back he will be captain again," Strachan confirmed. "We just need to keep our fingers crossed for him. There would be nothing better than August coming and Darren Fletcher returning as captain."

Brown admitted surprise at his selection, which was revealed with typical Strachan informality. "I only found out five minutes before the pre-match press conference was due to start," Brown said. "Gordon just came over to me, said 'you're captain' and then walked away.

"It's a great honour. I didn't know why I'd been asked to come downstairs from my room and why I was sitting there on my own. At least it's for a good thing this time."

Strachan disputed the suggestion that the colourful Brown lacks the maturity for such a role. "You could say the same about Roy Keane at Manchester United. There was a devil inside him but Alex always picked him," he said.

"Scott won't be a lot of people's best friend, who are used to watching him on TV. I think a lot of people are like that when they play football.

"But I hope in life you are judged on what you are as a person and as a person he is different class."